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You most certainly are. You are a threat to others health bills if you don't have health insurance. People that pay end up paying for those that don't or cant. Hell, the reason your insurance and the insurance you provide for your employees is so high is because of the 15.7% of uninsured people racking up health related bills.

That is not the same argument. What you are talking about is a completely different issue, and is indeed the problem. Taxpayers should not foot the bill. Much like car accidents, if you can't pay, the taxpayers don't pay for you. You will owe for the rest of your life. That knowledge is enough for 99% of people to get insurance, with or without a mandate. To solve the health insurance problem, don't force it upon people, force the consequences. If you don't have insurance, you owe the money, and like student loans, the costs are non dischargable. That would be a fair apples to apples comparison.

Next we are going to make universities free to attend...with entrance exams in place though. Much like some countries in Europe.

An education system like Europe, especially Germany's wouldn't be such a bad thing. Though tax rates would certainly be higher. You ever wonder why gas, sales tax, and owning a car in Europe is so much more expensive than in the US?

Changing America's priorities and investing in education and infrastructure would be good, but it comes with a cost and the rhetoric from political parties. Taxes would go up, which many Americans and politicians would oppose, and we would have to cut Defense spending which would be unpopular as well since it's a huge industry.

An education system like Europe, especially Germany's wouldn't be such a bad thing. Though tax rates would certainly be higher. You ever wonder why gas, sales tax, and owning a car in Europe is so much more expensive than in the US?

Changing America's priorities and investing in education and infrastructure would be good, but it comes with a cost and the rhetoric from political parties. Taxes would go up, which many Americans and politicians would oppose, and we would have to cut Defense spending which would be unpopular as well since it's a huge industry.

From my understanding, Germany allows universities to decide whether or not they want to impose tuition fees. There is limit to which they cannot exceed set forth by the government correct?

If this is the case, does the government still tax at a higher rate? Or do they have models to predict what some universities will charge vs some universities that will give free tuition and then of course the number of students attending both types? That way they can predict what is a fair tax rate based on governmental assistance that some universities would require and/or need.

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"You are free to make choices. You are not free to escape the consequences."

From my understanding, Germany allows universities to decide whether or not they want to impose tuition fees. There is limit to which they cannot exceed set forth by the government correct?

If this is the case, does the government still tax at a higher rate? Or do they have models to predict what some universities will charge vs some universities that will give free tuition and then of course the number of students attending both types? That way they can predict what is a fair tax rate based on governmental assistance that some universities would require and/or need.

I have no idea, and those are good questions. What I do know, after having lived there and talking to friends there, most schooling is free and there is probably a difference between public and private institutions, similar to what we have here. That said, Germany's taxes are high which goes to pay for the social services (education, healthcare, UE benefits, the elderly, etc) and solid infrastructure (autobahn, great roads, trains, buses) the country provides for its citizens.

I have no idea, and those are good questions. What I do know, after having lived there and talking to friends there, most schooling is free and there is probably a difference between public and private institutions, similar to what we have here. That said, Germany's taxes are high which goes to pay for the social services (education, healthcare, UE benefits, the elderly, etc) and solid infrastructure (autobahn, great roads, trains, buses) the country provides for its citizens.

Germans, culturally, pride themselves on their strong work ethic. Nothing wrong with that. They have a strong industrial base, and compared to the rest of Europe, a stronger economy.

Agreed. Germans place emphasis on blue collar jobs and attending vocational schools unlike the U.S. Everyone here pushes college on young people and the gargantuan debt that comes with. Add in the agony if you can't find a legitimate job.

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"You are free to make choices. You are not free to escape the consequences."

That is not the same argument. What you are talking about is a completely different issue, and is indeed the problem. Taxpayers should not foot the bill. Much like car accidents, if you can't pay, the taxpayers don't pay for you. You will owe for the rest of your life. That knowledge is enough for 99% of people to get insurance, with or without a mandate. To solve the health insurance problem, don't force it upon people, force the consequences. If you don't have insurance, you owe the money, and like student loans, the costs are non dischargable. That would be a fair apples to apples comparison.

I disagree with you. It is the same argument. You need insurance in the likely event that something rather expensive will happen to one's car/health. The only difference is a car is a luxury. Health is not. Knowledge of pending bills isn't enough to get, as you say, 99% of people in compliance. The law and the penalties for noncompliance is what makes that percentage. If car insurance companies think you're too much of a risk they don't have to cover you. Same goes for health insurance... and this is where the biggest problem is. Generally the people with the biggest health issues can't get coverage because it's a losing financial proposition for the free market. So who then get's the bill? The person that needs serious medical attention that most likely can't work? The hospitals can't turn that person away but the insurance companies can. And they do. BIG PROBLEM.

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Ballbusters Inc.

DISCLAIMER:No balls were physically hurt during the reading of this post. Should redness and/or swelling occur consult your gynecologist immediately.

@ Gestapo like work requirements. They get better benefits and more time off than Americans. When their recession got bad, they paid a bunch of people to go to school while things are bad because they knew they will want them back when things get better. Six weeks of paid vacation per year. Meanwhile, the average American gets 14 days a year, uses only 12 and a quarter of Americans get no vacation time at all.